The Tasar v the Icon

Which Taser championship did you win?

   Thank you for that confirmation Jeep.....What I meant was, "Old fashioned in comparison with Icon", which had the potential to affect sales. There seems to be a direct comparison between the two classes whereas GP's and Merlin's are sort of unique unto themselves?

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iiitick Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 04 Jun 14 Location: gb Online Status: Offline Posts: 478	Post Options Post Reply Quote iiitick Report Post Quote Reply Topic: The Tasar v the Icon Posted: 22 Jul 14 at 10:00am
	Thank you for that confirmation Jeep.....What I meant was, "Old fashioned in comparison with Icon", which had the potential to affect sales. There seems to be a direct comparison between the two classes whereas GP's and Merlin's are sort of unique unto themselves?

Jeepers Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 26 May 11 Location: Hamphire Online Status: Offline Posts: 147	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jeepers Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jul 14 at 9:39am
	...the point being, in terms of appearance and looking old fashioned, you could say that about clinker built Merlins, boxy GP14s, boxy and scow shaped Fireballs. It doesn't stop them being some of the most popular classes in the UK. I appreciate iiitick's comments were a personal view, but I think the class with it's new updated sailplan has a modern enough look for my money anyway. That said, having seen the Icon sailing on a number of occasions, I couldn't see the Tasar matching a well sailed one on any point of sailing in any weather conditions.

iiitick Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 04 Jun 14 Location: gb Online Status: Offline Posts: 478	Post Options Post Reply Quote iiitick Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jul 14 at 8:07am
	Yes, I was a little confused by 'Jeepers' comments? I am not sure he read my post properly.....I sailed the Nationals at Babbacombe about 8 years ago crewing my own boat. It was memorable in many ways. As far as I know no one swapped my wife....she certainly looks the same as the woman I have been living with for the last 45 years........ The point I was making is that Tasars are b**dy fast reaching in extremis, we could hold a 300 in bursts, can an Icon do that?

blaze720 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 28 Sep 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1635	Post Options Post Reply Quote blaze720 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jul 14 at 6:07am
	Which Taser championship did you win? Jeepers - I did just the one Tasar Nationals at Porthpean a decade plus ago and was a lowly 6th or 7th from memory sailing '748' which cost me the princely sum of £ 900 a few months previously and was really intended for family sailing only. My crew was offspring number 1 in his first championship in any class. So no pot for me but something for junior as 'highest placed kid' The thing he remembers most was the pod of dolphins chasing us along one of the reaches ... We did go on to win a number of good Tasar opens in the next couple of seasons before he went off racing single-handers ... Happy days. Well you did ask .. and just so we know ....what exactly was your point ? Mike L. Edited by blaze720 - 22 Jul 14 at 6:08am

Jeepers Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 26 May 11 Location: Hamphire Online Status: Offline Posts: 147	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jeepers Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 21 Jul 14 at 11:49pm
	.....Where it does fall short is in appearance. That high bow freeboard and boxy transom just looks old fashioned" Low freeboard=wet and cold for most people in this country's climate, boxy transom: WTF - the only people that can see it when you're sailing are the one's behind you Been there ... done that ... and you need to know what ? Which Taser championship did you win? There were two reasons I never bought one: first, at the time, I couldn't find one on the secondhand market, and second, is because someone told me they're all into wife swapping. Since then he's told me they meant crew swapping (bit of back pedalling methinks).

blaze720 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 28 Sep 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1635	Post Options Post Reply Quote blaze720 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 21 Jul 14 at 11:04pm
	What I really would like to see is Icon verses Tasar on a decent windy reach! Been there ... done that ... and you need to know what ?

Rod Porteous Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 17 Feb 11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 21	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rod Porteous Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 21 Jul 14 at 10:27pm
	So would I and wonder if any are coming to fed week or round sheppy later in the year

Rod Porteous Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 17 Feb 11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 21	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rod Porteous Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 21 Jul 14 at 10:26pm


iiitick Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 04 Jun 14 Location: gb Online Status: Offline Posts: 478	Post Options Post Reply Quote iiitick Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 21 Jul 14 at 10:14pm
	I still think the Tasar is bang up to date in so many ways. Where it does fall short is in appearance. That high bow freeboard and boxy transom just looks old fashioned however practical it may be. That is where the Icon wins, modernity. I would love to see a carbon mast on a Tasar as well as a flying jib stick. What I really would like to see is Icon verses Tasar on a decent windy reach!

Rod Porteous Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 17 Feb 11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 21	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rod Porteous Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 21 Jul 14 at 9:37pm
	Great to see a thread comparing the tasar with the icon. I sail a tasar and help run the class association, so you would expect me to have a view! The tasar sails competitively with an optimum crew weight of 130 kg and therefore with two medium weight adults struggles to sail to its handicap in sub 10 knots. As said it sticks in the light stuff. It's a fact that the Tasar will plane upwind and can still beat a modern bang uptodate £20 k Merlin to the windward mark, at its optimum design wind speed. It just shows how right Frank Bethwaite got the design, read "High Performance Sailing" for an in depth explanation of why it's still such a technical revelation. Much of the book is about the Tasar. Mike has come up with a development of the tasar / NS 14 aimed at the, as I understand, 150kg crew and helm combo. I am chasing Mike for a demo sail and looking forward to comparing its performance, as we are too heavy for the Tasar. The early marketing of the Tasar by Performance Sailcraft promoted the fact the boat was "light" years ahead of its rivals such as the Enterprise. The early boats were built with hull weights of around 60 kg, my spare tasar, no 351 weighs 57kg is about 34 years old, still stiff and capable of winning a nationals ( in hands more skilled than mine)and cost the staggering sum of £ 500 . Thats always been the attraction of the class and also in some ways a problem as old boats have a long competitive life and therefore there has been limited demand for new boats. Current class rules are for 68 kg hulls and five new boats have just been imported and sold this year so the class is still active. We get around 25 boats at our nationals with 30 year old boats still competitive, at last years worlds in the USA old boats featured high in the results. I don't know of any other two man 14 ' boat this light which makes on shore handling a pleasure. Comments are often made that it lacks a spinnaker which is exactly its point, high performance without the added sail area.The kicker, rotating mast, ( controlled by the mast spanner) main sheet traveller, main sheet and sliding shrouds all need skilful adjustment to make the boat perform. Get it wrong and not changing gear will see performance drop more quickly than conventional boats, and that's the challenge. The Tasar makes a great adult child / teenager or husband/ wife option at low cost with the potential to be competitive at a friendly and family orientated nationals. Cheap fun friendly sailing. We have five confirmed boats entering Chichester federation week at hayling island sailing club (HISC) and have two spare competitive boats that can be loaned to interested sailors. Just contact me.We have three regular Tasars at HISC with a demo boat always available. If Mike has improved on the tasar, promotes it and develops the class association as he has the Blaze which has probably one of the most friendly and helpful bunch of sailors around he has a sure winner!